NYS BEGINS AUDITS OF REMOTE EMPLOYEES’ INCOME TAX RETURNS

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Bloomberg Law / Daily Tax Report reports that New York Officials have already started auditing 2020 returns for teleworkers, which is a little surprising as we are still in a middle of a pandemic and the tax season is still underway. As noted in our previous alert, NYS’s position is that teleworking days are treated as time working in the state, therefore they are still taxed in NYS unless, in general, the employer has a bona fide office in the other state. This is based on 2006 legislation/guidance. This is not without controversy, and we are aware of challenges.

TSBM-06-(5)I provides in part:

For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2006, it is the Tax Department’s position that in the case of a taxpayer whose assigned or primary office is in New York State, any normal work day spent at the home office will be treated as a day worked outside the state if the taxpayer’s home office is a bona fide employer office (as determined below). Any day spent at the home office that is not a normal work day would be considered a nonworking day. A normal work day means any day that the taxpayer performed the usual duties of his or her job. For this purpose, responding to occasional phone calls or emails, reading professional journals or being available if needed does not constitute performing the usual duties of his or her job.

This guidance provides a multi-prong test in order to determine whether there is a bona fide employer office. Most commuters would not meet this test. A copy of the guidance is attached.

 Audits are stressful but we are here to help. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need assistance.

COURT AUTHORIZES SERVICE OF JOHN DOE SUMMONS SEEKING IDENTITIES OF U.S. TAXPAYERS WHO HAVE USED CRYPTOCURRENCY

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The Justice Department released a press release noting that a federal court in the Northern District of California entered an order today authorizing the IRS to serve a John Doe summons on Payward Ventures Inc., and Subsidiaries d/b/a Kraken (Kraken) seeking information about U.S. taxpayers who conducted at least the equivalent of $20,000 in transactions in cryptocurrency during the years 2016 to 2020. The IRS is seeking the records of Americans who engaged in business with or through Kraken, a digital currency exchanger headquartered in San Francisco, California.

The IRS Is focused on cryptocurrency tax evasion as cryptocurrency can be used for illicit purposes. If you haven’t reported your income from the sale or exchange of cryptocurrency, you should consider fixing the issue before the IRS goes after you. If you have properly reported your income, you should make sure your books and records are organized in case of IRS audit. As noted previously, the IRS is threatening increased audits for high-net-worth individuals and the new administration is intent on aggressively increasing their budget for audit and compliance.